Creative Sound BlasterX H5 Gaming Headset – Review

Creative’s Sound BlasterX H5 is really impressive as far as $100 gaming headsets go. It’s possibly one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve used – definitely comparable to the Kingston HyperX Cloud 2. You’ll definitely want to read this review before you buy the H5.

The Good

The Bad

Earcups don’t swivel

Summary

Creative’s Sound BlasterX H5 gaming headset offers top-notch quality for a great price. It’s definitely a headset to consider if you’re in the market for a high quality audio experience and tons of comfort.

Specs

Drivers: 50mm Neomydium

Operating principle: Closed

Frequency response: 20Hz–20,000 Hz

Nominal impedance: 32 Ω

Sensitivity: 118dB/mW at 1kHz

Weight: 10.6 ounces / .66lb

Cable length and type: 1.2m, Braided

Connection: Dual 3.5mm jacks

Details

The Sound BlasterX H5 gaming headset (and the G5 amp) were sent to me to review by Creative, but this is still going to be an unbiased review regardless. Over the course of a week, I’ve used the H5 for gaming, VoIP, movies & music, and I’ve been thoroughly impressed in every area.

For starters, the packaging that the H5 comes in is really clean and looks great, it can be reused as a storage case which is also pretty awesome. The case is made from a very hard plastic that will keep everything safe during transport.

As soon as I had the headset in my hands I noticed how insanely lightweight it is, and how soft all of the memory foam padding is. Comfort is one of the biggest things I consider when I’m grabbing a headset or headphones, and the H5 definitely offers the comfort level that I like to see.. or feel, rather.

They ship pre-tuned with a warmer sound signature, which means you’re really going to feel the lows in games, which is great for pinpointing gunfire, explosions, or footsteps. Due to their closed-back design, they really block out the outside world and give you a strong feeling of immersion.

Before the H5 dropped in price to be less than $100, it was the HyperX Cloud II who held the top-spot in that bracket, but the H5 has now proven to be a more comfortable, better sounding headset – for under $100.

Design

The overall design really appealed to me from the moment I had this headset in my hands. It’s relatively minimalist and skips the unnecessary LEDs, aesthetic vents, and all of the other frills that are usually associated with a gaming headset.

The earcups are held on by really clean looking brushed metal forks with 12 points of adjustment. I always like to see metal components used in place of plastic like Creative has done with the H5, and I really think it adds a lot to the overall look & feel of this headset.

There is a good amount of flex in the headband and it doesn’t feel cheap like a lot of other headsets do. The ear cups don’t swivel horizontally, but they do rotate on a vertical axis that allows for a way better seal than completely static headsets. Both the headband & the ear cups are fitted with memory foam padding wrapped in a very soft leatherette, which makes for an extremely comfortable fit suitable for extended use.

Due to the super clean look that feels like a set of mid-quality audiophile cans, the H5 is definitely one of those headsets that you can pop off the mic and use it for things other than gaming.

Performance

It’s no secret that most ~$100 gaming headsets will be outperformed by a ~$50 pair of audiophile cans and a ~$50 ModMic 4.0, but there are a few exceptions and the BlasterX H5 is definitely one.

Unamplified, the H5 offers a relatively balanced but somewhat warm sound signature. This means you’re going to feel the bass a little more, and who doesn’t like more bass to really feel those explosions? That said, running them (or any other headset) through the BlasterX G5 USB amp made things really come alive and the difference is absolutely massive.

The mic was the one thing that I was skeptical about from the get-go because I’ve used more than a few decent sounding gaming headsets that ended up having very sub-par mics. But, the detachable noise-reducing boom mic that comes with the H5 is great, very comparable to a ModMic 4.0.

Honestly, I was blown away by the performance of Creative’s Sound BlasterX H5. From the balanced, if not a somewhat bassy sound signature, to the great mic, it’s hard to find a flaw in this $100 gaming headset at the performance level.

Conclusion

Whether you’re using it for gaming, music, movies or VoIP, your mind is going to be blown by amazing quality all around. It pounds the bass without being too bass heavy, and the mic performs like you would expect from a ModMic 4.0.

I used the H5 in pretty much any way you could use a headset; including in a whole bunch of games, in Skype & TeamSpeak, a few movies, and hours of music both through my cellphone & PC.

All-in-all, Creative’s Sound BlasterX H5 gaming headset is incredible when compared to any other headset in the $100 range – especially when paired with the BlasterX G5 amp. In my opinion, it’s better than the HyperX Cloud II by offering slightly better sound quality, and a fair amount of extra comfort.

About the Author

Branton

Hey there! I'm Branton, the founder and lead editor here at PC Game Haven. Since our launch in 2015, we've helped thousands upon thousands of gamers build their dream desktops, find the perfect peripherals, and more. Thanks for stopping by!

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